Rotating cutter bar



April 15, 1952 E. SOENKSEN ROTATING CUTTER BAR 3 Sheets-Sheet ,1

Filed July 28, 1949 Edwin Scan/(sen Bv kw. and

A ril 15, 1952 E. SOENKSEN ROTATING CUTTER BAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1949 Edwin .Soen/rsen INVENTOR.

E. SOENKSEN ROTATING CUTTER BAR April 15, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 28, 1949 E dn in Sven/wen INVENTOR.

9 BY Anomqs and Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES FATENT" OFFICE ROTATING CUTTER. BAR it Edwin Soenksen, De Witt, Iowa ap iic uq uuiytzs, 1949, Serial No. 107,183

12' Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful immovements in a rotating cutter bar ofv myprior copending application, Serial No. 784,359,, filed November 6, 19.47, for Attachment forGrass and Weed Cutter, which has now matured into Patent No. 2,489,730;

The primary purposeof this invention isto provide an improved cutter blade havingremovable and, replaceable cutting knives thereontogether withanimproved mea'nsior locking the knives in their .mountingupon the cutter. blade.

A further object of the invention islt'o provide an improved cutter blade in accordance with the foregoing object wherein the cutting. knives are pivotally mountedupon the cuttinglblade in, a yield'ablemanner to avoid damaging thekni'ves and-blades when the knives encounter an obstacjl'e, such as astone or the like.

A,still,further objector the inventionis to provide .an improved cutter blade in conformity with the foregoing objects andhavingmeans for .preventingmthe rotatingucutter blade from forming Windrcws. during. its operation;

A still; further object of-the invention isto provide antimproved cutting bladein'accordance with theprecedingobject, wherein the means for preventing the formation; of windrows. also constitutes means. for locking; the removable cutting knivesiupon theblade, l

These, together with various ancillary features andobjectsltof lthetinvontionwhich will later become apparent as the following, description proceeds, to are attained bythe present device, preferredfembqdiments of,,which have been illustrated by way of example only inthe accompanyin'g drawings whereintf 1 n Figure l isa vertical longitudinal sectionaliview of a mower in accordance with my above identifled copending application, showing.d'etails of construction and the manner, of applying' the improved cutter bar forming the subject of this invention thereto;

Figure 2- a, topple-n view: upon a somewhat enlargedscaleof the improved cutter blade in accordance with one embodiment ofthis invention; I a

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of Figure 2;

Figiire d'is -a bottom plan view of the cutter blade-oi Figure 2"; l e 1 Figurei5= is an enlarged detail View taken in vertical "longitudinal section substantially upon the, plane or the section line 5-5' of Figure 2;

Figure disxa topplanview showing a second embodiment of theinvention; v a. t Figure; .7 is a side vwelevational: view of the em:- bodimentiof. Figure 65;:

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a lockinggnemher in accordance witha furtherembodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 is a modified construction of cutter knife;

Figure l0 a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a cutter bar and a still further embodiment of cutter knife applied thereto and retained by the locking means of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a side elevational view illustrating the manner of applying and removing the locking meansof Figure 8 from the construction of Figure 10;and

Figure 12 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of sec"- tion line l2-i-l2iofrFigure 1'0.

In the accompanying drawings, like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views and Figure 1 discloses a suitable embodiment of mower with which the cutter bar forming; the subjectof this invention may be employed,'this mower being preferably of the construction disclosed in my above copendingapplication, the embodiment of cutter bar illustrated in Figures 25 having been disclosed in and having been divided out of my above identified copendingapplication.

Referring first to Figure 1*, it will be seen that the numeral l U designates a portion of the frame of the device which, as shown, comprises an elongated member having transverse supportingbars i2 constituting a platform upon which is suitably mounted a power source suchas an internal combustion engine indicated generally at M1. A pair of handle members, one of which is indicated at l8, provides a meanswhereby the mower may be moved and guided as desired.

The motor is provided with a power take-off or driving pulley 26, a belt drive comprising an endless belt 28-which extends about a pair of idler pulleys '39, one ofwhich is shown in Figure 1, this belt then extending about a driven pulley 3 l suitably mounted upon a vertically disposed driven shaft'tz journalled. in any desired manner in the framemember I0. 1

Below the frame member ID, the driven shaft 32 is provided with the above-mentioned driven pulley; and then extends downwardly through a on cular' shield 34, andtterminates at. its lower extremity a screw-threaded porticn having ad justingnuts 361 .by means of which acutter blade orrbar 38. is retained upon thedriven shaft 32. in a vertically adjusted position. i

At its forward end; the annularshield Wis upturned as at 40, to provide a deflecting bathe for directing grass or other material into the actual structural details of the mower frame,

in themselves, form no p-art of the invention as claimed in this application, and reference is made to my copending application for the detailed construction of the same.

It should be here noted that the center of gravity of the closure member I00 is preferably on the opposite side of the axis I62 from the notch I04, whereby during operation of the device and rotation of the cutter blade 88, centrifugal force will urge the solid portion or center of gravity portion of the closure I00 into a position to obstruct the opening 98 as shown at the right-hand side of Figure 4. Moreover, during this operation, centrifugal force will urge the knife I00 outwardly of the blade 83, and will urge the shank IIO to the outermost end of the slot 96. To remove the cutter knife, it is therefore necessary to manually rotate the closure Attention is now directed more specifically to tions being both bent downwardly in the same general direction but twisted or inclined relative to each other in opposite directions about the central line of the blade. By means of this bend in construction, the cutter elements'upon the end of the blade, and to be now described,

are given a greater clearance with the overlying shield portion of the device; I

As shown best in Figure 4, the bent portions 02 and 94 are provided adjacent their ends with elongated slots 96 which may be disposed upon the longitudinal axis of the blade or may be inclined thereto as desired, but, in any event,

extend in a direction which is generally lengthwise of the blade.' The slots 96 at their inner extremities are provided with enlarged portions 98. An annular disk I00 constituting a closure member is journaled, as at I02, upon the lower 7 surfaces of the bent portions in a position to have its circumference overlie a portion of the enlarged portion 98, but having a notched portion"I04 formed in the circumference which is registrable with the enlarged portion to provide an unobstructed passage therethrough. The two closing and opening positions of the closure member are illustrated at the right and lefthand ends of Figure 4.

The device further includes a detachable cutter knife for each end of the cutter blade, this knife comprising a plate member I06 which may be of various suitable shapes as set forth hereinafter, and may conveniently, as shown in Figures 2-5, consist of a disk having a peripherally beveled cutting edge I08, see Figure 2, and further having a perpendicularly disposed shank or pin IIO extending therefrom and terminating in an enlarged headed end II2, spaced from a shoulder III of the pin. The size of the shank ;I I0 and of the headed end II2 are suchthat theshank may be received within and readily slidable in the slot 96; but the headed end I I2 may not pass through the slot but is receivableand removable through the enlarged portion 98, whereby the same may be introduced therethrough and the shank seated in the slot. When so positioned, this closure member I00 maybe rotated to present its .unnotched portion over the enlarged portion 98, to thereby prevent withdrawal of the .rotary knives through the opening 08. 5

member to the position shown at the left-hand side of Figure 4, in order that the headed end of the shank IIO of the rotary cutter knife may be aligned with and withdrawn through the opening 98. The foregoing construction thus prevents accidental detachmentof the cutter knife from the blade during operation of the mower.

Reference is now made to the further modified constructions of cutter and cutter blade illus-' trated in Figures 6-12 and which constitute an improvement over the construction of, Figures -2-5 which formed a part of and were disclosed in my co-pending application above identified.

Considering first the embodiment of Figures'G and 7, as in the preceding embodiment, the cutter blade includes an elongated flat metal strap or bar having its central portion I20 which is axially apertured, as at I22, for attachment to a driving shaft for rotation about avertical axis as in the preceding embodiment. Theicentral portion I20 has fiat end portions I24 and I26 extending therefrom, these end portionshaving elongated slots I28 which, while illustrated as being disposed upon the'longitudinal axis of the blade, may, if desired, lie inclined thereto'but, in any event, will extend in a generally lengthwise direction with respect to the blade, and at their inner ends terminate in enlarged portions I30 Detachably and pivotally secured to each of the angularly disposed flat ends I24 and'I26'is a cutter knife consisting of a fiat plate I32 which may conveniently be of generally triangular shape and which, upon its periphery or edges, is provided with a bevelled knife edge I34. This plate, at its widest point, is preferably slightly greaterthan the width of thebar I20, so that the knife edges I34 extendlaterally beyond the sides of the cutter bar and beyond the ends of the same. As in the preceding embodiment, the cutter knife is provided with a perpendicularly extendingaxis forming a pivotpin, this axisflbein'g of substantially identical construction with that set forth in connection with'the embodiment of Figures 2-5, and including a headed portion I36 having adjacent thereto a shouldered portionI38 which is received in an aperture .inthe knife plate I32, the head portion I36 overlying the plate. The shouldered portion I38, in turn, is provided with a diametrically reduced shank indicated in dotted lines at I40, this shank extending through and being slidably received in the slot I28, the shank in turn terminatingin a headed or shouldered portion I42 from which extends a blade I44 disposed in a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the plate-I32, this blade being of sufiicientlength tov extend substantially to the outer 'end of the knife, as will be apparent from Figures G and 17. 1

In the embodiment previously described," and also in the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7,:lit is contemplated that the pivot pinmaybe loosely aces-mt rec vedsinth cutter: knife. so that. the-knife has pivotin mevementupcn the pin. as. well: as i a pivotaren agement with the endofthe cutter blade In, addit on; in the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7, the portion I44 diSDQSed upontheopnosite side of the cutter blade from the cutter knife constitutes, a deflector for the, grass or other material cut. by therotating cutter blade, and hus atters the same. and prevents theformae tion of windrows; during, operationof the device. a A centrifugelly actuatedylocking meansis provided for preventing unintentional and accidental disenga ementof the, cutter knife from, the cutter blade. This locking means consists of a flat disk M5. seeFigure 8, which may be conveniently of annular, shape, and which is provided with a radially extending notch I48. A projection I5!) is fixedly, secured tothe disk I45 as by rivets or thelike #521 at the diametrically opposite side of the; same from thenotch' I48, and this. project.-

ing extends both radially andxlaterally from the disk, aswillbe apparent from Figure 11. The notch Mllis adapted to be slidably received upon the shank lttbeneaththe shouldered portion I42 and the opposite side of. the end of theblade from the cutter knife, as shown in Figures 7, 11, and 12. There is just sufiicientclearance between the shouldered portionI42 and the end ofzthe' blade I24. or I to. receive the disk I46. with the projection I50 being received in and slidable in the slot I28, and theenlarged portion i311. When in the positionindicatedin the drawings, the center of gravity of the cutter knife, of the windrowing member I44, and of the locking disk, I is such that each of thesemembers will be urged radially outwardly from the centerof rotation of the cutter blade, thereby preventing accidental disengagement of the blade and its cutter-knife during operation. I I

It willbe here noted that in the assembling of: the device, the windrowing attachment I 44 which is formed as an integral part of thepivot pinv I3 8,is first. inserted through the pivot aperture in the cutter knife and-then through the-em larged portion I38. of the slot I28, whereupon the cutter knife will be drawn against the cutter bladeor bar, with the headed portion I36 snugly engaging onesurface, of the cutter knife, while the other surface of the latterengages the adjacent surface of the end portion ofthe, cutter bar, and the shouldered portion I38" is thenreceivedin the pivot aperture of the cutter knife, While the shank of the pivot pin extendsthrough the slot I28. Inthis position, with the shank at the extreme outward end of the elongatedslot I28, the locking member is then applied in the position, shown in Figure 11, with the end of the notch now being engaged under the shoulder I42 and upon the shank I33. In this position, there is suflicient clearance to press the projection I down into the enlarged portion I30, whereupon the locking member may be slid radially outwardly of the slot, and complete the locking, operation.

IQbviously, the cutter blade may be formed of variousshapes. One such shape is illustrated in Figure 9',wherein the blade, is shown as being substantially rectangular or square, this blade consisting of a plate lfinhaving peripheral beveled edges H52 thereabout, and having a plurality of pivot apertures I64 disposed eccentric to the center of gravity of the cutter knife. This knife is pivotally secured to the cutter bar ends I24 and I26 in exactly the same manner as that 6 setcio t in. conne tion with the tri ngular shaped. kn fe 32 I y 1 r 1 .A still f r h modification isillu treted n Figures 1-0 and. 1 wherein. the en .24. cfth cutter blade having the slotlztnwith. the en arged portion- I.3Il' t erein is providediwith. a. sti fur,- ther form of cutter. knife, consistingsofa plate 16.6 havi a beveled p r pheral annular. cutting edge, I68 thereon, and having-.apluralitygof pivot apertures I10 therein-which are. eccentric with respect, to the center-of gravity orthe knife I66. The same fastening means previously described inlconnection withFigures 641 is: provided. for this embodiment, and itsoperation is the sam as previously setforth. It should be herenoted that. the embodiments of Figures 9 and 10 may have the :pivot pin formed with the windrowing blade I474 if this windrowpreventing action is desired; while the arrangement of Figures 6 and. 7 may dispense with the windrowing attachment I, and may form the pivot; pin with. the headed extremity M2 if desired.

From the foregoing, the constructionand op..- eration of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. It will be particularly noted, however that the various: embodiments: of the invention each provides and each is based upon the fundamental principle of I cutter knives pivotally secured to. the ends of a cutter bar, in a detachable manner, and with centrifugal {force actuated means for locking the cutterknives. to the blades. Further, in the embodiments of Figures 6-42, the cutterknife is adapted to pivot, and thus bemoved or turned inwardly of the end of the cutter blade whenthe knife strikes an obstacle such as a stoneor the like, to thereby prevent damage to the knife or blade; while in the arrangement of Figures 2-5, the knife is free to move radially inwardly of'its slot 96 and be recessed inwardly ofthe end of the blade for the same purpose.

Since numerous modifications will readilyoc our to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A cutter blade for mowers comprising a cutter bar, means mounting the latter fc rrotation about an axis perpendicular to thebar; said bar having a flat end, a flat; knife overlying and pivoted to said fiat-end, means detachably and pivotally securing said knife to said flat end, centrifugally actuated means for lockingjsaid pivot means to said flat end, said flat end having an elongatedslot extending lengthwise of said cutter bar, said pivot means being attached; to said knife and extending through said slot, said slot having an enlarged portion at. its end disv posed inwardly of the flat end, said pivot means being retained in said slotand slidable longitudinally thereof and being, removable through saidenlarged portion.

2. A cutter blade for mowers comprising a cut.- ter bar rotatable in the horizontal plane about a vertical axis, said bar having ,a knife receiving portion, a knife having a cutting edge, pivot means detachably and pivotally securing said knife upon said knife receiving portion, said pivot means mounting said knife with said cutting edge normally extended beyond the side of said cutter bar during rotation of'the latter and being movable withinthe side of-the cutter bar, centrifugallyactuated locking means for retaining'said pivot means upon said blade receiving portion. 3.xThe combination of claim 2 wherein said blade is pivoted to said knife receiving portion upon an axis which is eccentric with respect to the centerof gravityof said knife.

4. Thecombination of claim 2 wherein said cutter bar has an elongated slot extending radially from thevertical axis of rotation of the bar, said pivot means being attached to said knife and being slidable within said slot.

5. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein said locking means is slidably retained in said slot, said locking means having its center of gravity eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the pivot means.

A cutter blade for mowers comprising an elongated cutter bar adapted to rotate about an axis which is perpendicular to the bar and located intermediateits ends, said bar having a fiat end, a flat knife resting upon and overlying said flat end, a spindle comprising a pivot carried by said knife, means for removably mounting said spindle upon said fiat end, centrifugally actuated locking means preventing removal of said spindle from said flat end.

, 7; A, cutter blade for mowers comprising an elongated cutter bar adapted to rotate about an axis which is perpendicular to the bar and located, intermediate its ends, said bar having a flat end, a flat knife resting upon and overlying said flat end, a spindle comprising a pivot carried by said knife, means for removably mounting said spindle upon said fiat end, centrifugally actuated locking means preventing removal of said spindle'from said fiat end, said means forremovably mounting said spindle consisting of a slot in said flat end, said spindle. being slidable in said slot and having an enlarged portion preventing removal of said spindle from said slot.

8. A cutter blade for mowers comprising an elongated cutter bar adapted to rotate about an axis which is perpendicular to the bar and lo cated intermediate its ends, said bar having a fiat end, a flat knife resting upon and overlying said flat end, a spindle comprising a pivot carried by said knife, means for removably mounting said spindle upon said flat end, centrifugally actuated locking means preventing removal of said spindle from said flat end, said means for removably mounting said spindle consisting of a slot insaid flat end, said spindle being slidable in said slot and having an enlarged portion preventing removal of said spindlefrom said slot, means providing ingress and egress of said spindle to and from said slot. I

9. A cutter blade for mowers comprising an elongated cutter'bar adapted to rotate about an axis which is perpendicular to the bar and located intermediate its ends, said bar having a flat end,,a flat knife resting upon and overlying said flat end, a spindle comprising a pivot carried by said knife, means for removably mounting said spindle upon said flat end, centrifugally actuated locking means preventing removal of said spindle from said flat end, said means for removably mounting said spindle consisting of a slot in said fiat end, said spindle being slidable in said slot 8 and having an enlarged portion preventing removal of said spindle from said s1ot,-means-providing ingress and egress of said spindle to and from said slot, said centrifugally actuated means blocking movement of said spindle to said last means.

10. A cutter blade for mowers comprising an elongated cutter bar adapted to rotate about an axis which is perpendicular to the bar and located intermediate its ends, said bar having a flat end, a flat kniferesting upon and overlying said fiat end, a spindle comprising a pivot carried by said knife, means for removably mounting said spindle upon said flat end, centrifugally actuated locking mean preventing removal of said spindle from said fiat end, said knife resting onone side of said flat end and said centrifugally actuated locking means resting upon the other side thereof.

11. A cutter blade for mowers comprising an elongated cutter bar adapted to rotate about an axis which is perpendicular to the bar and'located intermediate its .ends, said bar having a fiat end, a flat knife resting upon and overlying said flat end, a spindle comprising a pivot carried by said knife, means for removably mounting said spindle upon said flat end, centrifugally actuated locking means preventing removal of said spindle from said flat end, said means for removably mounting said spindle consisting of a slot in said flat end, said spindle being slidable in said slot and having an enlarged portion preventing. removal of said spindle from said slot, said centrifugallywactuated locking means being slidabl mounted in said slot.

12. A, cutter blade for mowers comprising an elongated cutter bar adapted to rotate about an axis which is perpendicular to the bar and located intermediate its ends, said bar having a fiat end, a flat knife resting upon and overlying said flat end, a spindle comprising a pivot carried by said knife, means for removably mounting said spindle upon said fiat end, centrifugally actuated locking means preventing removal of said spindle from said fiat end, said means for removably mounting said spindle consisting of a slot in said flat end, said spindle being slidable in said slot and having an enlarged portion preventing removal of said spindle from said slot, said centrifugally actuated locking means being slidably mounted in said slot, said knife resting onone side of said flat end and said centrifugally actuated locking means resting upon the other side thereof. V

- EDWIN SOENKSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are .of record inthe file of this, patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS V Australia Mar. 21, 1938 

